Duck QB Masoli pleads guilty, suspended for entire season

By KATU.com and KVAL.com staff Published: Mar 12, 2010 at 3:51 PM PST Last Updated: Mar 13, 2010 at 11:24 PM PST

EUGENE, Ore. – In a brief statement to the media Friday afternoon, Oregon Ducks head football coach, Chip Kelly, announced he had suspended quarterback Jeremiah Masoli for the entire season next year after Masoli pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of second degree burglary earlier in the day.

“He (Masoli) also has a plan put in place. If he can strictly follow that plan then he’ll be able to come back and be eligible to play in the 2011 season, but he will not be eligible to play in 2010,” Kelly said at a news conference that lasted just over a minute.

Kelly also said he suspended running back LaMichael James and kicker Rob Beard from the first game next season. James pleaded guilty Friday morning to misdemeanor harassment. Beard pleaded guilty to harassment last week.

He said that he will put a plan in place for James and Beard, and if they can follow the plan and meet its guidelines, they will be able to play after their suspension. If they fail to meet the guidelines, they will not be allowed to play.

Before announcing his decisions Kelly said he had to consider each case individually.

“You can’t group them all together, and part of that deal is that I will find out all the facts, and all the facts that are available to me, and once I find out all those facts I’ll render a decision on it.”

He also said the players’ behavior off the field is just as important as on it.

“If they cross that line, then I’ve said all along that there will be a punishment.”

He also apologized to fans and to the staff of the University of Oregon.

“This is not what our football program is all about, and we feel that we have taken the steps necessary to make sure that this doesn’t happen to these young men again.”

Kelly did not take questions from reporters.

Court documents may shed light on why Kelly came down so hard on Masoli.

Kelly told Eugene police he spoke with Masoli the morning after the fraternity theft and said Masoli not only denied the crime, he said he wasn’t even at the fraternity.

University of Oregon President Richard Lariviere released a statement after Kelly's news conference and said, "I have discussed with Coach Kelly the serious nature of the criminal situations for these young men. I am confident that Coach Kelly has carefully and fairly considered the disciplinary actions he is imposing. I know that he understands the high expectations of Oregon's faculty, students and fans."

Lariviere also said that he expects all University of Oregon students to obey the law.

Masoli and former Duck Garrett Embry had faced felony burglary charges.

In a plea deal with prosecutors, the felony charges were changed to misdemeanors.

Prosecutors said Masoli's fingerprints did not match, but they found other evidence tying him to the crime.

As for a motive, District Attorney Alex Gardner said "we may never know."

The two must pay $5,200 restitution to the victim within 10 days. The two agreed to split that amount.

They were ordered to have no contact with the victim or with the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity

The sentence also includes 12 months probation and 140 hours of community service work to be completed within 8 months.

Masoli and Embry have three weeks to register for community service.

Masoli and Embry were charged with stealing property from the SAE frat house at 812 E. 14th Ave. in Eugene, Ore., back in January.

However, prosecutors only announced March 10 that the two would face charges.

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Watch Head Coach Chip Kelly's statement: